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- echo * This will display the file called MAXELL.TXT on your screen, one page
- echo * at a time. If you have an on-line printer attached to your machine,
- echo * you can print out this help file by typing:
- echo *
- echo * COPY MAXELL.TXT LPT1:
- echo *
- echo * (or COPY MAXELL.TXT LPT2: if your printer is plugged in to port LPT2:)
- echo *
- echo * You can also load this file with most word-processors, as it is a regular
- echo * ASCII text file.
- echo *
- echo * Hold down the CTRL key and press the C key, then answer Y to stop this
- echo * listing (to print the file, or load it in to your word-processing program)
- echo * any other key will continue.
- echo *
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- echo * Welcome.
- echo *
- echo * Below is a brief description of 688 ATTACK SUB. To run the game, we
- echo * suggest you print this document for reference, as it contains several
- echo * keyboard commands needed throughout the game. At any time though, you can
- echo * find a list of the key commands available on your screen by pressing F1
- echo * (the SPACE BAR advances to the next help screen, ESC exits help). The
- echo * first time you run the game, you might want to start by pressing the F1
- echo * key, visit all your sub's stations, and press F1 at each station.
- echo *
- echo * BEFORE YOU START...
- echo * If you haven't already done so, please make a backup of your 688 ATTACK
- echo * SUB disk. 688 ATTACK SUB is not 'copy protected' software, you should
- echo * make a backup copy of this disk using DISKCOPY (consult your DOS manual
- echo * if you don't know how to use DISKCOPY). Always play from your backup copy!
- echo *
- echo * IF YOU DON'T HAVE A HARD DISK:
- echo * 1. Place your 688 ATTACK SUB disk in your floppy disk drive.
- echo * 2. At a DOS prompt, (A: for instance) type the letter of the floppy
- echo * drive that contains this disk, no space, a colon, then press ENTER.
- echo * 3. Type CD \ then press ENTER.
- echo * 4. Type 688 then press ENTER.
- echo * 5. Follow the intructions you see on the screen.
- echo *
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- echo * IF YOU DO HAVE A HARD DISK:
- echo * You can copy all the files on your 688 disk to your hard disk. We have
- echo * provided INSTALL.BAT, which will copy all the files from this disk onto a
- echo * subdirectory called MAXELL at the root of your hard drive.
- echo *
- echo * 1. Place your 688 ATTACK SUB disk in your floppy disk drive.
- echo * 2. At a DOS prompt, (A: for instance) type the letter of the floppy drive
- echo * that contains this disk, no space, a colon, then press ENTER.
- echo * 3. Type CD \ then press ENTER.
- echo * 4. Type INSTALL, then press ENTER.
- echo * 5. Follow the intructions you see on the screen.
- echo * 6. Once INSTALL has finished, type 688 then press ENTER.
- echo * 7. Follow the intructions you see on the screen.
- echo *
- echo * ONCE THE GAME IS LOADED...
- echo * You will be asked to select between two scenarios. We suggest you start
- echo * with scenario one, the training exercise. Type the number of the scenario
- echo * you would like to play. First you will receive a mission description,
- echo * your mission orders, and then you will find yourself at the Con (control
- echo * room) of a 688 ATTACK SUB (688 is the hull number of the USS Los Angeles,
- echo * the first of this class of nuclear attack submarines). The game is paused
- echo * whenever you are at the Con, so there is no rush. You should press F1 to
- echo * get help. The Con is where you access different control areas (stations)
- echo * of your sub, including the STATUS SCREEN, the SHIP'S CONTROL PANEL, the
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- echo * PERISCOPE, the NAVIGATION BOARD, the WEAPONS CONTROL PANEL, and the
- echo * SONAR ROOM.
- echo *
- echo * FIRST, THE BASICS...
- echo * Our interface is very versatile. The interface is divided into levels.
- echo * At the top level is the CON. The Con provides access to the next level
- echo * down, called STATIONS (Stations can be rooms or panels). At every Station
- echo * are FUNCTION BUTTONS, INDICATORS, and a DISPLAY SCREEN. The function
- echo * buttons are grouped into areas of related functions (all the rudder
- echo * positions are a group for instance). All functions have 'hot spots'
- echo * associated with them. Hot spots are areas that perform a function if you
- echo * press ENTER or a mouse button while at that location. There are many ways
- echo * you can select hotspots. Choose whatever suits your style...
- echo *
- echo * The TAB key will move you between all the groups available on your screen.
- echo * The LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys will move between all positions inside a
- echo * group. The UP and DOWN arrow keys will move to every position on the
- echo * screen, regardless of groupings. Press ENTER to make a selection.
- echo *
- echo * There are QUICK KEY assignments for most functions. Press the letter
- echo * associated with the function, and your cursor will go directly there.
- echo * Often the QUICK KEY is the first letter of the function, pressing F1 at a
- echo * station will list the assignments (if a function has a QUICK KEY
- echo * assignment, it is printed in bold after the colon next to the function
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- echo * name in the help box). Press ENTER to make the selection.
- echo *
- echo * The FUNCTION KEYS are assigned only to the stations, F2 through F8. F1
- echo * gives you HELP on every screen.
- echo *
- echo * A MOUSE (with a Microsoft(TM)-compatible mouse driver) will move your cursor
- echo * anywhere on the station screen. When you are over a hot spot, your cursor
- echo * will change appearance. Press any button on the mouse to select that
- echo * function.
- echo *
- echo * The NUMBER keys across the top of your keyboard are assigned to function
- echo * groups on each screen, and the groups are numbered top-to-bottom,
- echo * left-to-right. Pressing a number will move you directly to the assigned
- echo * group. Since the screens vary slightly, the number assignments can vary.
- echo * (the 3 key will not always take you to the TARGET button for instance)
- echo * Press ENTER to make the selection.
- echo *
- echo * All these methods can be used with each other- You may mouse over to a
- echo * particular button, press ENTER to activate it, go directly to a station
- echo * with a FUNCTION KEY, type a QUICK KEY followed by the mouse button to make
- echo * another selection. Beginners should find this easy to try. With practice
- echo * you can find the method fastest for you.
- echo *
- echo * The stations in 688 ATTACK SUB have much in common. The similar elements
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- echo * will be described below. Other areas are explained in the individual help
- echo * screens. (Press F1 on any screen for help).
- echo *
- echo * 1. At the very top of the stations are two target information lines. If
- echo * you have selected a target, all known data regarding the target is printed
- echo * here. This will help you keep track of what your target is doing as you
- echo * move from station to station.
- echo *
- echo * 2. Most of the stations contain a large DISPLAY SCREEN on the left hand
- echo * side. The display screen is your 'window'. There are three modes you can
- echo * select.
- echo *
- echo * TOP-DOWN. This presents the world as if you were looking at a map, with
- echo * the darker colors indicating deeper water.
- echo *
- echo * CONTOUR MAPPING. This shows you the underwater world as if looking through
- echo * a 'window' (Your 688 has been equipped with a device that functions like
- echo * a depth finder. It allows you to look at the actual bottom contours of
- echo * the ocean around you.)
- echo *
- echo * PERISCOPE. If your periscope is up, you will see the periscope view in 3D
- echo * perspective. You can see land and ships from here. If your periscope is
- echo * up, you will see the periscope view in place of the contour-mapping view.
- echo *
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- echo * This display is controlled by the group of nine buttons in the lower left
- echo * corner of your screen. You may select one of these buttons with the
- echo * tab and arrow keys, your mouse, or by pressing the quick key on your
- echo * keyboard that matches the button you want to press, below is a description
- echo * of the functions of these buttons:
- echo *
- echo * C = Turn on the contour mapping system.
- echo *
- echo * P = Look to port when in contour mapping mode.
- echo *
- echo * S = Look to starboard when in contour mapping mode.
- echo *
- echo * F = Look forward when in contour mapping mode.
- echo *
- echo * T = Turn on top-down map.
- echo *
- echo * I = Zoom in the map when in top-down mode.
- echo *
- echo * O = Zoom out the map when in top-down mode.
- echo *
- echo * B = Turn on/off bottom contours on the top-down map.
- echo *
- echo * H = Turn on/off Head-up-display
- echo *
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- echo * The Head-up-display consists of two gauges. At the top of the display
- echo * screen is the compass bar, which shows your current heading. Along the
- echo * right side of the display screen is a depth gauge, calibrated from 0 to
- echo * more than 2000 feet. The left edge of the depth gauge shows two markers.
- echo * The dark marker shows where the bottom is, and the light marker shows your
- echo * ship's depth (never let the light marker hit the dark marker!)
- echo *
- echo * Several things can appear on the display.
- echo *
- echo * A BOX at the center of the display: That's you. You are placed in the
- echo * center of the display whenever possible.
- echo *
- echo * X's: an 'X' marker denotes a sonar contact. The X marker is special. It
- echo * means that all you know about this contact is its bearing (bearing is the
- echo * contact's position in degrees relative to north. For instance, bearing
- echo * 90 is like saying 'due east'). You do NOT know how far away it is! If
- echo * you change map zoom (using the top-down map) the X's always appear to be
- echo * the same distance away. As soon as the sonar man can figure out how far
- echo * away the target is, the X will change to the first available letter.
- echo *
- echo * LETTERS: represent 'hard' contacts. Your sonar man will assign a letter
- echo * to each contact it can locate. Once a contact has been located, a couple
- echo * of things happen. First, sonar starts tracking the object, leaving black
- echo * dots behind the contact as it moves. This gives you an idea of what
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- echo * direction a contact is moving. The second thing sonar does is to analyze
- echo * the audio spectrum of the contact, and try to identify the class and
- echo * possibly the actual vessel's name. If you TARGET the contact, this
- echo * information is posted at the top of the screen as it is gathered, and the
- echo * tracking markers for that contact will change color.
- echo *
- echo * NUMBERS: are placed as you set waypoints at the navigation board. See
- echo * the help screen (F1) at the nav board for a complete description.
- echo *
- echo * At the bottom of the display screen your course (CRS), speed (SPEED), and
- echo * depth (DEPTH) are constantly displayed. Your course is printed in degrees
- echo * (90 is east), your speed in knots, and your depth in feet.
- echo *
- echo * 3. The TARGET button appears on several screens, and allows you to select
- echo * contacts for attack. Once you have hit the TARGET button, a cursor appears
- echo * on the display screen (regardless of what mode the display is in). The
- echo * TAB key will cycle through the available contacts, (or you can use the
- echo * arrow keys, the mouse, or type the letter of contact that have been
- echo * assigned letters to place the cursor) and when the cursor is in the right
- echo * position, (we suggest using the TAB key to do this, it seems the easiest)
- echo * you will see the contact information updated on the target information
- echo * line at the top of your screen. You can use this feature to examine all
- echo * your contacts to decide which ones you should (and shouldn't) attack.
- echo *
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- echo * 4. At the bottom of your screen there are two lines of text. The bottom
- echo * line is the situation line, which always contains your map coordinates,
- echo * and the time (since you started the scenario). The upper line is the
- echo * MESSAGE line. Here, the crew keeps you informed of what is happening at
- echo * other stations. If you arm the torpedo tubes from the weapons control
- echo * panel for instance, the weapons control officer will report to you when
- echo * the torpedo is ready to fire even when you're looking through the
- echo * periscope.
- echo *
- echo * IT'S TIME TO CHECK OUT YOUR SUB... You're on the Con of the Los Angeles.
- echo * We recommend that you go to each station and press F1. Learn about each
- echo * station by reading the help screens. Press the space bar to advance to
- echo * the next HELP screen. In the training scenario you start at periscope
- echo * depth, with all engines stopped. Somewhere nearby are three
- echo * decommissioned warships that you have been ordered to destroy. We suggest
- echo * you go to the periscope, raise it, and take a look around (don't leave the
- echo * periscope up too long though, because you may be detected). From the
- echo * periscope you may want to go to the weapons control panel to load some
- echo * torpedoes. Next, try going to the ship's control panel and set engines
- echo * forward to 1/4 speed. While the torpedoes are being armed, and the ship is
- echo * accelerating, set a waypoint at the navigation board in the direction of
- echo * your targets (they probably show up as X's, but be aware that whales,
- echo * schools of shrimp and fish can show up as contacts. As you head in the
- echo * direction of the X's, the signals become stronger, and it becomes easier
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- echo * for sonar to determine what they are (remember though, you can't hear
- echo * anything behind your sub, nor can your opponents hear behind their
- echo * vessels). Once an X is resolved, it will be replaced by a letter. Target
- echo * that letter, and after a while you may get an identification. If the
- echo * periscope is still up, you should get identification immediately, but
- echo * remember that beyond a few miles, ships are below the horizon.
- echo *
- echo * When the display screen is in contour mapping mode, lettered contacts are
- echo * represented by circles. Larger circles mean closer contacts. When
- echo * lettered contacts are very far away, only the letter will be displayed. On
- echo * EGA, MCGA and VGA screens lettered contacts are assigned a color- blue
- echo * for underwater, green for surface, and red for weapons (they emit very
- echo * high frequency sounds, so they are easy to identify)
- echo *
- echo * Good hunting!
- echo *
- echo * In the second scenario, you are being tailed by a Soviet Victor III class
- echo * submarine, and your orders are to escape detection. Complicating the issue
- echo * are other vessels, and more clever opponents. You have 15 minutes for this
- echo * scenario. If you escape detection for a period of two minutes, the
- echo * scenario will end. You're on your own out here this time, facing new
- echo * challenges.
- echo *
- echo * Replay both scenarios. They play differently, with new starting
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- echo * locations, and different commanders on the other vessels. Once you have
- echo * mastered the Maxell Special Edition Scenarios, you will be ready to tackle
- echo * Electronic Arts' own version, with even more: more scenarios, starting
- echo * with a new training mission, ranging to missions of various levels of
- echo * challenge, length and experience. There are more weapons that you can use,
- echo * more ships to see, more maps to explore, more sounds to hear, more crewmen
- echo * to meet. You'll learn more about the tactics and strategies of submarine
- echo * espionage, evasion and destruction, and face veteran enemies with new
- echo * tricks of their own. You will be able to test yourself against your
- echo * friends with the MODEM option, or take the Con of the faster,
- echo * deeper-diving soviet Alfa class ships. Play either side of most
- echo * scenarios!
- echo *
- echo * Start 688 ATTACK SUB by typing 688 now, and answer the screen display
- echo * options. After you have played a few times, you will remember the number
- echo * of your graphics mode. Typing 688 4 will run 688 ATTACK SUB in MCGA mode
- echo * without going to the graphics configuration screen.
- echo *